Essay about Childhood Obesity

Obesity among Our Children Childhood obesity is an ongoing epidemic that is plaguing adults and children alike. But it is affecting our children in a way that we cannot explain. Medically there is a cure for obesity. But everyone has to play there part if we are to rid this disease from our society. We have to gain information and awareness in order to defeat this disease. Defining and diagnosing obesity can vary greatly within the medical field. "A condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body" is the official definition of obesity (Britannica Online, [nd]. But according to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academics (2004), obesity means "an excess amount of subcutaneous…show more content…

But according to Torgan (2002), she states that "...genes alone can't account for the huge increase in rates over the past few decades." If both parents are obese and there is a family history of obesity, that child is more likely to become an obese adult than if they were to have thin parents. Genetics can also decrease metabolic rate, or the rate a person burns calories. One child may have a high metabolism that causes him or her to be leaner, while another child will have a slow metabolism making him or her overweight and obese. When it comes to activity, children these days are doing less of the outdoor and more of the indoor activities. What I mean by indoor activities is playing video games, watching television, playing on the computer and talking on the telephone. Below are two graphs that show what media devices are used among children by age and the daily television viewing by children and youth in hours. But with the media use among children by age the different times for each are: All children 5:29; 2-7 year olds 3:34; 8-18 year olds 6:43; Girls 5:19; Boys 5:37;

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The idea of teaching the community about childhood obesity has been considered as one of the greatest opportunities for me to express myself the lifestyle that is crippling most of the people in this country. Childhood obesity has been on the rise. “The prevalence of obesity in children more than tripled from 1971 to 2011”, (American Heart Association, 2015, pp 1).Most children in the New York City are obese. Especially my neighborhood, it`s mostly Hispanics, Africans and African Americans. The private…

What is Childhood Obesity?
The prevalence of obesity in America has risen over decades, specifically, childhood obesity. According to the American Heart Association, currently “about one in three American kids and teens is overweight or obese; nearly triple the rate in 1963” (“What is Childhood Obesity?”). In addition, 30 percent of children are affected by obesity, making it the most common chronic disease of children (“Obesity Action Coalition”). Childhood obesity is a serious dietary medical…

by my proposed policy is that of childhood obesity. The current prevalence obesity in adolescents residing in the United States is approximately 17%, a staggeringly high percentage (Karnik and Kanekar, 2015). With such high amounts of childhood obesity, contributing to adult obesity, it is clear that a solution must be presented to address the current obesity epidemic. As a measure for policy success in regards to the goal, one may have observed rates of obesity measured through the Body Mass Index…

Our First Lady’s platform is on childhood obesity and she has worked with the FDA to improve the standards of school lunches and has started a website Let’s Move (“Michelle Obama Pledges to ‘Fight until the Bitter End’ For Lunch Standards”). There are more than nine million children between the ages of six to nine that are considered overweight. Also, 70% of children who are considered obese are more likely to continue being obese into adulthood (“Obesity Statistics”). My research question will…

Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is growing at an alarming rate; and with that obesity-related diseases are also on the rise. As with adults, poor diets and a sedentary lifestyle have been linked to the increase in obesity and childhood obesity-related diseases. Although, childhood obesity is a national problem, it varies among ethnic groups. It is speculated that school lunches are a contributing factor to the growing epidemic. Could school lunches really be to blame for the rise in childhood…

an epidemic now and the percentage is increasing every year towards the level, where the life expectancy of today’s generation is being threatened. It is imperative to prevent overweight and obesity in children. Parents, especially mothers play a significant role in protecting their children from obesity. Their knowledge of nutrition, food selection and family meal structure has major impact on their children’s food habit. The preschool age is crucial for the children to learn and develop their…

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Childhood Obesity
With nearly one third of children overweight or obese, the number of overweight and obese youth has been increasing dramatically in recent decades, and it’s becoming an epidemic. Although the definition of obesity has changed over time, it can be defined as an excess of Body Fat (BF). A child is obese when he or she is well above the normal or healthy weight for his or her age and height. According to OALib Journal, “Obesity a state of excess body fat…

because they cannot do anything about it? Obesity is a medical condition that is affected by both genetic and environmental factors in both adults and children. According to research, it is indicated that obesity is about 40% genetic and 60% due to environmental factors (Taylor 2). Obesity is defined as “an excess of body fat content with increased risk of morbidity” (Reilly and Wilson 2006). I believe that the role of environment has on childhood obesity is more significant than the genetic factors…

Obesity is a major concern in the United States as the nation holds the number one position for the highest rates of obesity around the world. Approximately 43 million individuals suffer from obesity and from that population 16-18% include obese children . Obesity is associated with many serious health concerns, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and decreased life expectancy . These health consequences can impact a child at a young age and leave them with long-term…

Childhood obesity has many long-reaching health problems that can influence adult health as well as the health of future generations. There is a clear correlation between the obesity in parents and the obesity in children. This causes a cycle of obesity in children from their parents, which in turn leads to greater health problems for the next group of children. This demonstrates the need for awareness of the role parents can play in the obesity and health of children and will be a firm influence…